Chocolate Covered Tangerine Cake

I attempted to make a Tangerine cake following this recipe but this being me I did something else entirely.

I doubled the recipe but only used 4 cups of whole wheat flour and nixed the baking soda because it messes with my mum's stomach. I minced the tangerines ahead of time since we still don't have a blender. I tried to beat the eggs into a froth but after 40 minutes with a fork I gave up. I ended up saving the water I had boiled the tangerines in and threw that in with the recipe. I also added vegetable oil because the consistency of the batter didn't look right.

After baking it for 50 minutes the inside was still mushy so I left the three cakes in the oven and promptly forgot about them for another twenty minutes. When I started to smell the burnt bread slices I also had in the oven that I was using to make bread crumbs I discovered the cakes were burnt around the edges but still mushy inside. Turns out that is just the consistency of the cake as I made them. I cut the edges of the cake off and make a chocolate sauce out of leftover powdered Starbucks coco mix and water.

Not having a zester I cut a tangerine peel into one inch sections and used the edge of my knife to scrape off the white part of the rind. This worked surprisingly well and I will definitely use this technique in the future.

The result were cakes that separated somewhat into two layers and had a chewy consistency and very strong tangerine flavor. The chocolate sauce really brought out the flavors of the cake .

Next time I shall use less flour and sugar and much more tangerine and add baking soda unless the cake is specifically for my mum. Also I'll make sure there is enough coco powder in stock stock so I don't have to skimp on the chocolate(That's a lie, I never plan ahead when cooking).

Boiled tangerine slices.

Boiled water from the tangerines which has the consistency of orange juice making me suspect that this is actually how mass produced oranges are made.

The real recipe:


Flourless Tangerine Cake or Sicilian Cake     ~~~from taste.com.au
oven to 350 

3 large tangerines (to make about a cup of puree)
3 eggs1 cup sugar3 cups almond meal or flour1 tsp baking powder

• Step one is the only time consuming part of this cake.  Wash your tangerines and put them in a saucepan covered with cold water.  Boil for 15 minutes.  Drain the pan, refill with cold water, and boil again for 15 minutes.  This boiling removes the bitterness in the citrus skin.

• Rough chop the tangerines and remove any seeds, do this on a plate so you don't lose any juice.  Put it all in a food processor and process until completely smooth.  You'll have to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.  The color and smell will be amazing.  My finished puree weighed 11 1/2 oz, and was about a cup.

• Set aside, or refrigerate until the next day if you're doing this in 2 stages.

• The rest is a one bowl deal:  Beat the eggs and sugar until light and creamy.  Fold in the almond meal, orange pulp, and baking powder, mixing until combined.

• Pour into a buttered 9" spring form pan.

• Bake for 50-60 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

• Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan to finish cooling.

• Dust with confectioner's sugar.  Decorate with some citrus zest if you like.